Mumbai: The Narcotics Control Bureau has summoned three leading actors — Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan — as part of its probe into alleged use of drugs by celebrities. Deepika and her manager Karishma Prakash have been asked to appear on Friday while Sara and Shraddha have been called on Saturday. Another actor, Rakul Preet Singh, has been summoned on Thursday, reports Ahmed Ali.

The central agency is probing two cases. One relates to the alleged role of actor Rhea Chakraborty in procuring and financing drugs for her boyfriend Sushant Rajput.

In the second, focusing on alleged drug abuse in Bollywood, officials claim Sushant’s manager Jaya Saha disclosed she would arrange CBD oil — extracted from a cannabis plant — for Shraddha, Sushant, Rhea and herself. As for Deepika, NCB wants to probe WhatsApp messages exchanged with Prakash, allegedly on the subject of drugs.

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The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Wednesday issued summons to actors Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, Rakul Preet Singh, Sara Ali Khan and fashion designer Simone Khambatta, asking them to join the investigations after their names surfaced in an alleged drugs nexus probe.

The NCB had started its investigation after a drugs angle came to light in connection with the probe into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

The agency is investigating a case against actor Rhea Chakraborty and others, based on the WhatsApp chats provided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) last month wherein Chakraborty was allegedly discussing drugs with talent manager Jaya Saha and others. Chakraborty is in judicial custody after her arrest by the NCB for alleged procurement and use of drugs.

“We have issued summons to Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, Rakul Preet Singh and Sara Ali Khan under Section 67 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 asking them to join the investigation. While Padukone has been summoned on September 25, Singh and Simone Khambatta have been asked to appear on Thursday. Khan and Kapoor have been summoned to appear on September 26,” K P S Malhotra, deputy director of NCB, said.

Last month, the ED had retrieved deleted WhatsApp data from Chakraborty’s phone and came across some information which allegedly showed she discussed drugs with some people, including Saha and Shruti Modi, former manager of the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

The ED had shared the details with the NCB after which the latter registered an offence.

According to NCB sources, during Saha’s questioning, the agency came across names of a few Bollywood and television celebrities who, the agency alleged, were talking about drugs. “Names of Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh and designer Simone Khambatta had cropped during the questioning of actor Rhea Chakraborty. During the investigations, we also came across names of Padukone and Kapoor as well as of officials from KWAN Talent Management Company – Karishma Prakash and Dhruv Chitgopekar – and film producer Madhu Mantena,” Malhotra said.